Flow Restrictor for protecting weep holes in Shower drains

ABSTRACT

A flow protector which protects drain weep holes. The flow protector is a cover, which maintains a space on top of the drain assembly that includes the weep holes which receive under-floor moisture, the flow protector cover including a top surface forming an angled surface, surrounded by an outer perimeter edge which is spaced from the top surface of the clamping ring, and forms an opening to the space only around the outer perimieter edge, This protects against mortar and other materials spilling into the weep holes.

This application claims priority from Provisional Application No.63/219,527, filed Jul. 8, 2021, the entire contents of which areherewith incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Weep holes in a shower drain drain away underfloor moisture that hasseeped through the grout and other porous surfaces of a shower floor.When the water penetrates through the tile grout and joints, the weepholes route this water to the drainage system. If the weep holes becomeblocked, the underfloor water builds up, and is forced into the wallsand flooring. Therefore, it is very important that these weep holes notbecome blocked.

However, during the construction, mortar and tile grout is being placedin many locations, and can unintentionally block the weep holes.

Contractors often put rocks or other materials over the weep holes toprevent them from getting clogged with mortar or cement. However, thisis an inefficient way of doing it, and contractors often forget toremove those rocks after completion.

FIG. 1 shows the conventional parts of a shower drain assembly. A drainbase 50 is located on a drain pipe 49. The drain base has threaded holessuch as 51 that receive collar bolts 52 that are held into the clampingring 55 that is held into the drain base.

There are a number of weep holes shown as 56, 57 in the edges of thedrain base. These weep holes receive the underfloor floor moisture, andallow it to drain through the drain base into the main drain pipe 49.

The clamping ring itself receives a drain barrel 60 which screws intointernal surfaces of the clamping ring 55. A strainer device 65 sits ontop of the drain barrel, and receives the water that is draining fromthe shower.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventor recognized that there are a number of drawbacks with thecurrent systems which allow mortar to weep holes during construction.

The present application describes techniques including a flow restrictorcover, which maintains a space on top of the drain assembly thatincludes the weep holes which receive under-floor moisture, and wherethe flow restrictor allows air and moisture to reach the weep holes butthat protects against mortar spilling into the weep holes.

The flow protector as described herein fits directly over the drain flanand prevents mortar from making its way into clogging the weep holes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Drawings:

the figures show aspects of the invention, and specifically:

FIG. 1 shows the parts of a conventional shower drain;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment, showing the improved weep holeprotection;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D show different sections of the flow protector;

FIGS. 4A and 4B show two different parts of the flow protector and theway that they interact;

FIG. 5 shows an assembled version of the flow protector; and

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of the assembled flow protector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application describes a flow protector system which protectsand maintains the openings in weep holes in a drain system, e.g., ashower drain.

An embodiment, shown in FIG. 2 , adapts the drain assembly 100 by addinga special flow protector device that sits on the drain assembly boltheads, e.g., the collar bolts. The structure maintains a spacing overthe weep holes that resists mortar entering into the weep holes duringconstruction, but allows water and moisture to seep into the weep holesafter the construction has been finished.

The drain assembly 100 has a drain base 101 covered by clamping ring103, screwed in by collar bolts 102, 104. The heads of the collar bolts102, 104 extend from the top of the drain assembly. The drain assemblyis doughnut shaped, with its central part open and leading to a drain,and has multiple weep holes surrounding the central part, the weep holesadapted to receive moisture and direct the moisture towards the drain.

A flow protector device 110 is placed on top of the clamping ring of thedrain assembly, and held spaced from the clamping ring using the spacingof the heads of the collar bolts. The flow protector device includes atop surface 112 forming an angled surface, surrounded by an outerperimeter edge 115. The edge 115 is spaced from the top surface of theclamping ring, and forms an opening or space 116 which is kept clear ofmortar during construction, but.

In one embodiment, the flow protector can have a flattened edge.

An alternative embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3A-3D, 4A and 4B, shows theflow protector as having a “scalloped” shape, with ribbed edges andhaving cutouts between the ribs. A chamber is formed underneath theribbed edges, for even further protection of the space between thebottom surface of the flow protector and the top surface of the drainbase of the drain assembly.

The flow protector is in the shape of a doughnut, having an internalperimeter 300, which is an open perimeter allowing pipes to pass throughthat internal perimeter to conduct water toward the drain. There is alsoan external perimeter 302 forming the outer edge. The external perimeter302 has th scalloped ribs 320 as shown in FIG. 3B.

The ribs 320 have a bottom most surface 322, which is flat, and also hasa plurality of upwardly extending surfaces 323. Each of the upwardlyextending surfaces 323 forms an opening between each two adjacent flatsurfaces. This forms a number of separated open spaces between the flatsurfaces. Preferably, these open spaces are small enough that they willdiscourage or prevent mortar or other viscous substances frominfiltrating into the area between the ribs, but will allow less viscousliquid to infiltrate between the ribs.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate how the flow protector has an internalsurface 300 and an external surface 302. The bottom 310 of the flowprotector ring includes a number of ribbed areas including a first roundribbed area 312 and another concentric ribbed area 314. These ribbedareas sit on top of the top surface of the bolt heads such as 102, 104;thus maintaining a spacing between the bottom surface 310 of the flowprotector and a top surface of the drain assembly. This protects thedrain assembly and keeps the space clear of mortar by discouragingviscous.

FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of the drain assembly 100,showing the bolt heads 102, 104, and also showing that there are otherbolt heads such as 106, 108. These form the top surface of the drainassembly. The ribs such as 312, 314 sit on top of these bolt heads. Theribbed exterior perimeter of the flow protector forms side walls 250,with the opening s 252 in between each two adjacent downwardly extendingsidewalls. These side walls form openings along the perimeter. Theseside walls create a chamber that keeps the debris out of the chamber;however, the openings in the perimeter let water in.

FIG. 3B shows a side view of the flow protector embodiment, and FIG. 3Dshows a cross-section along the line AA in FIG. 3B. This shows how theopenings are equally spaced around the perimeter, each having a spacingof 0.375 inches. The top surface of the flow 350 of the flow protector,forms a 4° angle shown as 352 between the topmost surface of the flowprotector and the outer edge.

The flow protector itself can be 1 inch thick between the bottom of theperimeter elements, and the top of the flow protector, shown asdimension 324 in FIG. 3B. The openings in the side wall can be spaced by0.375 inches, and the sidewall itself can have a length 354 of 0.35inches, in an embodiment. In another embodiment, the edge surface can be⅜ of an inch. The top wall of the flow protector can form an angle 352of 4°.

FIG. 5 illustrates the assembled flow protector 299 in place, betweenthe drain assembly 100, and the drain closure mechanism 400. Asdescribed above, the openings in the perimeter keep the weep holes cleararound the edge of the drain and prevent mortar and other items fromentering these weep holes around the edge of the drain.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-section of the device shown in FIG. 4 ,showing how the openings lead to the drain and allow liquid into thedrain, but discourage high viscosity liquids from entering, thus keepingthese high viscosity liquids, like mortar, out of the weepholes

The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments isprovided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use thepresent invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodimentswill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the genericprinciples defined herein may be applied to other embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the presentinvention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown hereinbut is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principlesand novel features disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A flow protector cover assembly, for protectingweep holes in a drain assembly, comprising: a flow protector cover,which maintains a space on top of the drain assembly that includes theweep holes which receive under-floor moisture, the flow protector coverincluding a top surface forming an angled surface, surrounded by anouter perimeter edge which is spaced from the top surface of the drainassembly, and forms an opening to the space only around an outerperimieter edge of the cover, and has no opening to the space from abovethe cover, to protect against mortar spilling into the weep holes. 2.The assembly as in claim 1, further comprising the drain assembly,having a central part leading to a drain, having multiple weep holessurrounding the central part, the weep holes adapted to receive moistureand direct the moisture towards the drain.
 3. The assembly as in claim2, wherein a top of the flow protector cover is solid and does not allowliquid to pass through, and a side edge of the flow protector cover isspaced from a top surface of the drain assembly.
 4. The assembly as inclaim 2, where the drain assembly includes bolts on a top surfacethereof, and where a bottom surface of the flow protector cover sits ona top surface of the bolts.
 5. The assembly as in claim 1, where theflow protector cover is cylindrical in its outer perimeter and has aninner circular perimeter that is open to allow drainage through a centerof the circular perimeter.
 6. The assembly as in claim 4, where a bottomsurface of the flow protector cover includes ribs thereon, the ribsadapted to sit on the bolts.
 7. The assembly as in claim 1, Wherein edgesurface of the flow protector cover is flat.
 8. The assembly as in claim1, wherein an edge surface of the flow protector cover includesscalloped edges, having a bottommost surface which extends towards thedrain assembly, and cutouts which form larger parts of the openings. 9.A shower drain system, comprising: a drain assembly, having a centralpart leading to a drain, having multiple weep holes surrounding thecentral part, the weep holes adapted to receive moisture and direct themoisture from the weep holes towards the drain; a flow protector cover,which maintains a space on top of the drain assembly, surrounded by anouter perimeter edge which is spaced from the top surface of the drainassembly, and forms an opening to the space from only around an outerperimieter edge of the cover, to allow liquid flow into the weep holesonly around the perimeter edge.